FILLING DEVICE Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC B41J2/19 B41J2/175 

FIELD: filling equipment.

SUBSTANCE: the filling device is made for installation in it of a filling cartridge and a printer cartridge for filling with ink with the use of a circulation system, in which an interconnection of a needle or a hollow needle with the system of cartridges provides for an electronic monitoring and a preset sequence of operations. The device for filling the printer cartridge has a seat for the printer cartridge, seat for the filling cartridge, ink pumping-out channel connecting the installed printer cartridge to the ink receiver of the installed filling cartridge, ink feed filling cartridge connecting the filling outlet of the installed filling cartridge to the ink pumping-out channel and a circuit closing channel connecting the ink pumping-out channel to the installed printer cartridge. The device has also a pump made for pumping in both directions in the circuit, check valve in the ink pumping-out channel between the seat for the filling cartridge and the circuit and the ink pumping-out channel facilitating the passage of flow to the seat for the filling cartridge, and a threshold check valve in the circuit. The circulation system has threshold valves, at least one discharge channel, at least one by-pass channel and a pump, which makes it possible to extract ink from the printer cartridge with its replacement with ink from the filling cartridge. An the circulation system provision is made for the procedures of pressure release and maintaining of the ink quality. On the basis of the invention a device is offered representing a combination of the device for filling the printer cartridge, filling cartridge and the ink receiver, as well as optionally the printer cartridge. As well as the method for filling the printer cartridge with the use of the combined device. The method with the use of the combined device includes the following stages. First: installation and connection of a vessel for ink feed, vessel for ink and an ink receiver. Second: use of a device including a pumping-out at least of a certain amount of ink from the vessel for printer cartridge ink and direction of this ink to the ink receiver, ink feed from the vessel for ink feed of the filling cartridge to the vessel for ink of the printer cartridge and ceasing at least of actual ink feed to the vessel for the ink of the printer cartridge in case there is no ink in the filling cartridge, or the vessel for the ink of the printer cartridge is completely filled. The mentioned ceasing of ink feed at a completely filled vessel for ink of the printer cartridge results in circulation or discharge of the ink taken away from the ink filling cartridge to the channel system. According to the invention aspect, offered is also a printer cartridge at least partially filled and included in the composition of the combined device with the use of the method described above.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability, lightening of the process of filling, less subjected to the danger of ink spilling.

18 cl, 12 dwg